Of Body
by Gemmina
Summary: A revamp of Outsiders: Plucked from her world by the Geth only to awaken in the midst of battle on Eden Prime with no recollection of who she is or how she got there, Zel must find a way to fix a ME universe where nothing goes to plan and everything she thought she knew is useless. As if that wasn't enough, she also has to deal with the future showing up at the worst times. ME1
1. Chapter 1

- _Consciousness awake. Deleting this platform.-_

 _^what!?^_ A dozen images flashed before my eyes as I blinked rapidly, slowly coming to the realization I was being shot at, and probably looked stupid just standing there for no good reason. I instinctively rolled to the side, trying to throw myself out of the line of fire, thankfully landing behind some random chunk of metal that just happened to be laying around. That seemed a little too convenient for my liking. I took in the area, frowning as I did so.

^ _Huh. Looks a bit like…^_

 _~Eden Prime.~_

 _^Who said that?^_ I looked around frantically, searching for the source. I saw nothing but a swarm of...Geth. Of course. Nope. Not happening. I squeezed my eyes shut, letting my ears take over my senses. Just a dream.

 _~Denial has been found in all subjects. Ignoring seems prominent. Introductions appear necessary. I am your instructional platform.~_

 _^Again, WHAT?! Why are you in my head?! I don't appreciate it. Now get out, and let me return to reality!^_

 _~Consensus reached. No further information to be given at this time. Proceeding with instructions. If you open the scanner in your helmet, you will see several Heretics closing in on your position. Locate weapon on back and defend this position.~_

 _^What? You know… I'm getting real tired of this. If I ignore you, you'll go away. Just like the other voices. I wouldn't give in to them, and certainly...^_ My thoughts were interrupted as a bullet whizzed through the metal next to my head. Terror shot through my veins, even as my mind told me it wasn't real. I would just wake up, and this would be over. And because it wasn't real, I could have some fun while I was here. My hand went to my back, finding a solid chunk of metal that quickly expanded into what I recognized as a pistol. I held it in place, looking over the chunk, firing randomly. My good arm, the one I hadn't lost movement with in the accident, shook as it tried to hold the gun steady. Why was my other arm still broken if this was a dream? I didn't try to understand. I locked my elbow, and pulled the trigger. Big mistake. The first shot drove me into the ground. I couldn't understand why everything had to be so real in this dream. I should have been able just to will the bullet to hit the target, even if I had no gun experience. A creeping feeling of dread washed over me. What if this was, somehow, by some impossible phenomena, real?

 _^Uh, voice? Any advice? Is this real?"_

 _~Affirmative. Advice: Firing at the targets is advisable.~_

 _^I KNOW THAT! That isn't any form of halfway useful advice!^_

 _~We are unlocking your secondary weapon now. You may find it more useful than a gun. Look at your right arm.~_

I looked down instinctively, and near punched myself for not seeing the freakin robot arm now mounted to my body.

 _~Inside your arm is a powerful Plasma Arc Generator. You have two shots before overheat, and as it is attached to your body, overheating is inadvisable. It runs off standard heavy weapons ammo blocks. To fire, activate the sights function on your omni-tool and line up your target. Then hold your thumb and forefinger together for three seconds. If one of these steps is forgotten, it will not fire.~_

 _^Er...How do I open my Omni-tool?^_

I swear I could hear the voices roll their eyes.

 _~Twist your wrist to the right ninety degrees sharply.~_

I did so, and was soon overwhelmed by the novelty of the item.

 _~There will be time to fidget with your toys after you survive this heretic attack. Enemies are closing in thirty seconds.~_

I swore sofly, found the sights program, and aimed at the rapidly approaching figures. A blast of pink surged forward from my arm, and I found myself once again on my back. The figures in front of me had nasty holes and melted limbs. None of them were moving.

 _~Mission directive: Escape planet and….~_

Static cut through the plans. A new voice, one much less helpful, broke in.

 _~Instructional platform complete. Deleting this platform.~_

 _^Hey! Bring the other guy back!...Please?^_

There was no reply. Not that I expected there to be one, but I could hope. I felt confused. I didn't know who was in my head, but I had a hunch. And I had no idea when I was, how I got here, or even what the previous voice had tried to tell me.

I didn't have much time to worry about these things as another set of images bombarded my mind. Images from the game, along with new ones I had no idea where from. It was a lot like how the Beacon was portrayed on screen, minus the whole blacking out part. I sighed, leaning against the metal. If the images were of the future, I had to go save Nihlus now. But there really was no good way to do that without altering everything. And if they were of the past, then there was no point other than getting an idea what the heck was going on.

 _~Logged. Subject has gained short future.~_

A third voice. I reached out to where it was, but it was gone. I was confused. Subject? Future? And could they hear everything I thought or said?

I was jerked out of my existential crisis and self pity by a single, loud gunshot echoing from the valley.

 _^Nihlus! If I had only been faster!^_

I picked up my feet, shoving the pistol on my back, and took a blind leap of faith over the edge of a cliff. I slid onto one ledge after another, and silently thanked whomever was watching me for not letting me die doing something so stupid. I tumbled forward, finding my feet, and sprinting the last few feet to the Turian on the ground. To my great surprise, it was not the black and white face I remembered so well, but the pale grey blue of Saren, his eyes staring up into the void. I slid his eyelids closed.

A cold block at the base of my neck told me I wasn't alone.

"Don't move, or you'll meet the same fate."

I put my hands, ever so slowly, above my head, surrendering.

"Good. Now turn slide your weapon over to me and turn around." The deep, dual toned voice told me who I should expect to see. I slid the pistol over the ground, away from me, and turned to face him. The black face with white markings.

"I'm only going to ask once: Who are you, and what relation do you have with the Geth?" He motioned to my clearly Geth arm.

I panicked as I racked my brain for an explanation. And surprisingly, my name. What was my name?

 _~Z-E1. Body Designation: Elsabeth Aubourn. Species: Human. Occupant Designation: Unknown. Species: Human.~_

The earlier voice helpfully supplied. I still had no idea what my name was. On top of that, it now sounded like I wasn't occupying the body I remembered.

"Thirty seconds, Human."

No words came out of my mouth as I tried to explain.

"Last chance."

"I don't know!" I blurted out.

"You...Don't...Know." He repeated slowly "And why is that?"

"I...I can't explain. I don't know how I got here, and I can't remember my own name. I don't remember having a Geth arm, and having usage of that arm period is a new concept." My words came out in a tumble.

"Get up." He gestured with the gun. "You'll tell me everything you do know later. I don't have time for this." He moved in a flash, pushing me against a wall and activating some kind of device, and I found myself stuck in place.

"Wait!" A flash from earlier came back to my head. "Get down!" The bullet meant to kill us sped inches from his head, and impacted the wall next to mine.

He regarded me again. "Thanks." He fired off two shots through a scope, and the whir of metal told me he had hit his mark. A new set of flashes danced across my vision, but I didn't have time to look at any of them before he interrupted my thoughts.

"Shepard. Thanks for the sniper round earlier. I have a person of interest for you to pick up when you get here. I'm moving to the spaceport."

He must have gotten a response, as he dashed off from the storage bay. I felt exposed, stuck to this wall.

A chuckle came from the body I had assumed dead.

"Took him long enough to get out of here. A pity that the former occupant of this flesh couldn't manage to dispose of him properly."

"Who…" A thought crossed my mind, accompanied by a flash of images, stirring up from earlier. Too little, too late. "Nazara."

"You're quick. You know things you shouldn't." Saren- No, Nazara, stood up. He reached a taloned hand towards the device that held me in place, and shattered it with a flash of purple biotics. Silver and red eyes bore into mine.

"Come with me. You seek answers only I can give. I seek power only you can offer."

I admit to being tempted. I admit that staring into those eyes, I wanted to go with him. I shook my head anyway.

"I can't."

Metal talons danced across my cheek. "Why not? You can be whomever you want here. You could be saved. Your abilities are too precious to… dismiss. You could become a melded one. You could be my vessel. The choice is yours, if only you work with me."

"What do you know about me?" Panic edged into my voice as I realized I was trapped against the wall, and he blocked my only escape. How did he know about the flashes? Did he know about my origins as well?"

"Only what the Geth have stolen from the platforms who foolishly established a base here. So I know everything about you, Subject Z-E1."

I shuddered involuntarily. Did he know...Everything? Or only what the Geth had logged? And I had been pretty sure before, but the thought of the Geth of all things bringing me here didn't sit right with me.

"You will come to no harm. You are best left...Unhindered. The supreme force has demanded it."

"I can't go with you."

"I understand your reluctance. Unfortunately, the supreme force as demanded your presence."

I squirmed out of the way as his talons lunged for the collar of my...armor. Which I somehow missed the fact that I was wearing. Looking briefly at it, it was battered in several places and shredded around my Geth arm. It looked aged, but that could just be my ignorance of this time. What I knew was only computer graphics and flashes that made little sense.

"Resistance is futile. The units under my command are already closing on our position."

Sure enough, at least thirty units became visible as I took in the area. Then the gunfire came.

I hunkered down, but not a bullet came from the Geth before it stopped. I looked up to see that Nazara had left, and three all too familiar figures trudged down the hill towards me, one holding the most massive sniper rifle I had ever seen.

Purple eyes stared at me with suspicion, before holding up a hand to put her followers at ease.

"Given that the Geth were ready to attack you, I'm going to assume you're not going to try and kill me too."

I nodded quickly. "Not at all."

"Good. Now, given your arm, I would guess you are the one Nihlus warned me about?"

"I think so?"

"Follow Williams. Stay behind us at all times, and do exactly as we say. Understood?"

"Yes." I breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that Nazara wouldn't dare attack now. I was safe. Maybe. Hopefully.

 _~Subject is on course to depart~_

 _^Would you stop talking like I can't hear you?^_

I shouted right back at the voices.

The trek to the spaceport progressed pretty uneventfully, just like it had in the game. Well, a little quieter without having to talk to the mad archaeologist-person-man-doctor? But when we reached the port, another slight change became apparent. All the bombs were disarmed, and then the pieces had been neatly taken apart and smashed. Geth bodies littered the ground.

Rounding the corner, Nihlus stood next to the Beacon, which wasn't glowing. At all.

 _ **^You know you want to touch it^**_

 _^Of course I do! That's any fans dream! Wait...As if my day wasn't bad enough. Now I have to put up with you again?^_

 _ **^Your mind is in a state of turmoil. As such, I can resurface.^**_

 _^Please leave me be. I'm already dealing with a new set of voices not of my own creation.^_

 _ **^Now where was the courtesy the last time you kicked me out of your head?^**_

 _^Go. Before Something happens and I lose my last shreds of sanity^_

 _ **^Only if you touch it.^**_ The voice in my head taunted.

I must have been insane. I must be insane. I can't even remember what happened next. I remember being there, and I remember doing. But I don't remember how. How I somehow got close to it. I think it had something to do with punching Kaiden into Shepard. How I somehow got my freaking omni-tool open and scanning it, then got a wire hidden in my arm, that I didn't even know about, to interface with it. I don't think I was in control. That scares me. How I somehow got myself to activate the Beacon, and then...it started downloading. I didn't think it possible, but it was nothing but a machine to begin with. It didn't hurt. I don't remember seeing it at all. All I can remember are a few faint words, followed by several solid ones.

 _~Retrieve...Activate...Power...Override…~_

 _~Stop! STOP! You're…~_

 _~Data received. Quarantining and locking platform for future analysis. Subject may now follow departure course.~_

And then Shepard was there, shoving me to the ground. She was yelling, but I couldn't make out the words. My mind swum, as if awakening from a deep sleep, or after drinking far too much.

 _ **^You actually believed me? What makes you think I didn't WANT you to go insane?^**_

 _^You never wanted that. You just wanted revenge.^_

 _ **^I know. I didn't think you would touch it. What happened?^**_

 _^I wish I knew, Yellow, I wish I knew.^_

My senses began to clear. Hearing swam back, vision coming back like I was seeing everything in slow motion, and I was pinned on my stomach, Kaiden's knee on my back, my arms pinned behind me. I couldn't do a thing about anything.

There was a lot more shouting around me. Shepard was caught in the Beacon's pull. It exploded. Kaiden was blasted off of me, the heat running across my cheeks as I lay there winded. He ran to Shepard's side, leaving me alone. Not really. He still had me in an effective stasis. Since when did he use stasis? I needed to help. I needed to free myself. I needed to explain. I forced myself up, shoving the force that pinned me to the ground away as it weakened from Kaiden focusing elsewhere, the faint blue glow hissing out of existence as I powered through it. My muscles all complained, an the taste of blood welled up in my mouth. Yet, it was all for nothing, as a round disk decided to improbably fly into my stomach, picking me up off the ground and away from the only people I knew. I reached out to them, tried to get down, but I couldn't react fast enough. I was flying away, far too fast, a metal talon or three digging into my arm, red eyes staring hungrily into my own.

Closer, closer and closer I was carried to the Reaper. I was dumped into a small room that looked to have once been a hangar unceremoniously. I lay there winded from the drop for some time. Finally, I pushed myself up, taking a look around. It was dark. Dark like sleep. It was time to wake up. Just wake up.

 _^It's a dream. Just a dream.^_

 _ **^Or you're going into denial again. Really, when are you going to face facts and act like a sane person? Panic, for crying out loud! Pinch yourself! Figure it out!^**_

 _^Eh..Sanity is overrated^_ Nevertheless, I pinched myself, hard, and felt the very real pain.

 _^Oh. Crap.^_

 _ **Alright I'm back with a new, completely revamped version. I really hope that it's better than the original, it's certainly longer! All the characters are staying the same, however personalities and roles are changing.**_

 _ **All this said, I really would like a beta(Maybe even two?) for this, if nothing else to bug me to post. I have anxiety, so constant posting is a real issue especially when I feel people don't like my writing. So I'm hoping a beta will help me get better at both writing and posting more often.**_

 _ **As of now I have four arcs planned out, and hope to add many more personal and side missions into this version than the one before.**_

 _ **As always, I feed off of feedback. Just please please please, if you don't like something, at least tell me what it is so I can fix it and/or give me a suggestion on how to fix it. Please keep it constructive because I know I'll retreat again if too many people start posting "You suck" or my personal favorite, "This is ****ing ***l***t."**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

To say Shepard was having a bad day was an understatement. Nothing had been going right as of late.

She was back aboard the Normandy after the massive failure that was Eden prime, head pounding as she tried to push the beacon to the back of her head. That thing was the least of her worries, what with a zombie Saren running amok, an angry Turian Spectre waiting for her, and a strange geth armed woman that didn't quite fit anywhere in the puzzle.

Forcing herself to focus on one thing at a time, she stalked into the elevator, shoulders squared and face steeled for the coming confrontation.

Her arrival in the mess was met with a dozen relieved faces, and about as many that carried anger and sadness. She didn't blame them. She was responsible for Jenkins, after all.

"Commander, what happened down there?" One of the crew asked, but she brushed them off, making her way through the mess and into the forward battery, where Nihlus requested her presence.

"Shepard."

"Spectre Kryllyk." She returned the greeting as formally as she could muster.

"Shepard, I understand what happened down there. I don't like it, nor do I approve of it, but I understand it. I've been through it several times, and I can't think of anything you could have done different short of killing that…" He paused, eyes narrowing as he tried to think of the word. "Geth abomination. And I believe we need her alive. If whatever is using Saren needs her, so do we."

Shepard nodded, trying to follow the confusing line of thought.

"I just wanted to let you know that I have decided to approve your Spectre nomination. Welcome aboard."

Fear, relief, disbelief and anger washed over her at the same time. "Just like that?" It came out as a near shout. Nihlus nodded.

"I couldn't have done anything better in your position. What happened is my fault. I should have worked with you. I should have listened."

"Thank you. You don't.."

"Stop. I know exactly what this means, for you and humanity. It means you will have someone watching your every move, waiting for you to slip up. It means the reputation of your species rests on your shoulders. You better use your status well, or you can count on there not being any more human Spectres in yours or your children's lifetimes."

Shepard gulped, then gave a crisp salute to the Turian.

"I will."

"Good. Now leave me."

Shepard nodded, turning to leave. Behind her, the Turian sighed.

"Shepard, you don't have to follow my orders anymore. That was a test. You failed."

Shepard bit back a sharp retort, instead opting to continue leaving.

"I have need to be elsewhere. Excuse me, Kryllyk."

Now safely tucked outside the room, Shepard sunk against the wall. It was a bit much to take in. Closing her eyes, she let herself filter through everything, trying to figure out why, how she had still earned her new status.

She had dropped down to the planet to find Nihlus already ahead. She hadn't been paying a great deal of attention to her surroundings, instead trying to find the Turian, and had lost Jenkins to an obvious trap.

After making the decision to abandon the body, much to Kaiden's protests, she had tried to reorient herself, only to find herself looking down the scope of her sniper rifle in time to see Saren putting a gun to Nihlus's head. She had fired, of course, and she would do it again. That still didn't make it easy to cope with shooting the council's top Spectre.

As she and Kaiden made a mad dash to catch up to Nihlus, they had run into Williams and adopted her for the time being. She wasn't a bad addition to the team, but she wasn't great either. Just as they dealt with the last of the husks, Nihlus had informed her of his location and the Beacon's location, and told her to pick up someone he left behind. She protested, asking why he couldn't do it himself, but didn't push back hard enough. She should have made him take the Geth woman with him. It would have been better that way.

Still, everything was as fine as it could be when fighting Geth to make forward progress, until they got to the Beacon. Shepard slowed down her thoughts, going over what happened there in detail.

The Geth woman seemed to snap, and Shepard had tried to knock her out. But she had underestimated the power of the mousey looking woman, and had been rewarded with a firm punch to the gut, knocking her back. It was a mistake she wouldn't make twice. Kaiden had tried to restrain her, but she was flaring with some form of raw energy Shepard had never seen before. It was like biotics, but more local. The woman made it to the Beacon, causing it to activate, glow a bright green. Williams had rushed forward, becoming stuck in the pull of the machine. Shepard knocked her out of the way, and that was all she remembered before the visions. The visions.

Her eyes flew open. The woman must have taken the contents of the beacon. Shepard needed to see it again, and this woman might even have the complete version.

But why would Saren want her? The beacon was valuable, but there was no way he could have known she would get it. She struggled too much to be working for him, and his forces had even attacked her. So who was she, and how had she known about the Beacon and how to get its contents?

That was what she needed answers to.

Slowly, she rose to report to Captain Anderson. She had some preparations to make before they docked at the Citadel.

-Time Passes-

"You ready, Shepard?" Nihlus looked at her, his face unreadable.

"I'm as ready as anyone could be expected to be in this situation."

"Good. Anderson and I will make our reports to the council first. We'll call you when it is time."

"Alright. Good luck in there"

"And to you. Facing the council never gets easier." With that, the tall turian strode forward, leaving Shepard by herself.

A few minutes later, a different Turian with a blue visor strode up to her.

"Commander Shepard?"

"Depends who's asking."

"Garrus Vakarian. I was the C-sec officer in charge of the Saren investigation. You wanted info on him?"

"Yes, thank you."

"I couldn't dig up much, but there are a few leads." He opened his Omnitool and transmitted a few files to Shepard's with a soft ping.

"Thank you, officer." Shepard nodded at him.

"If you need help her on the Citadel, I'm your guy."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Shepard, they're ready for you." Anderson called to her from the entrance to the council chambers.

"See you around." Garrus waved as she disappeared into the council chambers.

Shepard walked to the edge of the platform, placing both hands on the railing in front of her, trying to look alert but relaxed. Nihlus stood off to her right, Anderson on her left.

"We have reviewed the information given to us and deemed that at this time, Humanity is ready to join the other species in the Spectre program. Commander Shepard, your evaluator gave you a glowing review. I do hope that you can live up to it." The Asari councilor spoke first.

"It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the rights and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance Branch of the Citadel."

"Spectres are not trained, but chosen. Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle; those whose actions lift them above the rank and file."

"Spectres are an ideal, a symbol, the embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will."

"Spectres bear a great burden. Both our first and last line of defence, the safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold."

"Thank you, Councillors."

"With that out of the way, we have your first assignment. You must go after Saren, and find out what he is planning."

"I'm going too." Nihlus demanded. "I need to know why my old mentor would do something like this."

"Spectre Kryllyk, you already have your assignment. We do not have the forces available to send two Spectres on the same mission."

Nihlus sent the council a glare that could kill.

"Clean up duty isn't what I would call important. I'm the best now, and you know that. Let. Me. Help. Shepard."

"Spectre.." The Salarian started, but the Turian cut him off.

"You're right. It would be foolish to not have the best combat the best. You may assist Shepard, but you must also complete your directives."

"Thank you, Sir."

"You are dismissed."

Shepard followed the two males outside, stopping when they did.

"That could have gone better. Any idea where to start?"

"A C-sec officer gave me some information on Saren. Seems someone named Fist may be working for him. I think we should start there."

Nihlus nodded. "I've heard of Fist. He used to work for the Shadow Broker. The Broker isn't going to like this betrayal."

"Where does he lurk?"

"He has his office set up in the lower wards. Chora's den."

"Then we go there. You coming, Anderson?"

"I have some more… diplomatic affairs to straighten out first. I'll see you on the Normandy."

"Alright. Kaiden, with us. I call point."

The three of them slowly made their way down to the lower Wards, which turned out to be quite a trek. Upon arriving, everything was too quiet. No music was blasting, no patrons stumbling around. Shepard crouched by the side of the door.

"They're expecting us."

Gunfire could be heard from inside.

"Not us." Nihlus observed. "Ready?"

Shepard nodded. As a small unit, they all dashed through the door, guns up. A body flew and hit the wall just above their heads.

Standing in the middle of the room, the center of the gunfire, was a Krogan, and he was pissed.

Shepard moved her hands, directing her teammates into position. She moved back, setting up her riffle, carefully picking off the mercenaries one by one until only the Krogan remained. He looked at them.

"You here for Fist?"

"We just need to talk to him." She stated as calmly as she could.

"And I need to kill him. You have two minutes, then I kill him."

Shepard looked to Nihlus, who nodded. "Two minutes. Alright."

The three of them headed into the depth of the office, quickly taking out a defense turret.

"Fist!"

A man walked out, eyes wide with his hands up.

"Don't kill me."

"I'm not here to to that. And if you work with us, I might even save your pathetic life." Shepard walked over and lifted him against the wall by his collar.

"So where is Saren?"

"I don't know! He stopped contacting me a few days ago! Last I heard he wanted me to get rid of this Quarian girl, so I set her up!"

"This Quarian. She have information on him?"

"Yes. She wanted to sell it to the Shadow Broker, but would only deal with him himself! So I set her up. But it will be Saren's men waiting for her."

"When is this going down, and where?"

"The back alleys in five minutes."

"Good. We're done here." She dropped the man to the floor.

"Am I alive?"

Shepard smiled a cruel smile at him, stopping to face him long enough to slip a disk from his desk into her pocket. "Not a chance. All yours, big guy."

As her team jogged out the door, Shepard smiled as she heard a single, reverberating shotgun round. The bastard deserved it.

Five minutes later, they were jogging into a back alley. Shepard breathed a sigh of relief as she spotted the Quarian, then raised her rifle as she spotted Saren's men.

"Where's the Shadow Broker? Where's Fist?"

"They'll be here soon. Why don't you just give me the data?"

"What is this? Where's Fist?" A glint of metal caught Shepard's eye. The Quarian must have seen it too, because she had a shotgun out and had fired straight into the closest Turian's stomach before turning on the next one.

Shepard pulled the trigger of her own gun as Nihlus dashed forward, making short work of the remaining men. Shepard approached, slowly, her rifle pointed down but not put away.

"Fist set me up! Who are you?"

"Commander Shepard, Council Spectre. I heard you might have some information on Saren for me, miss…?"

"Zorah. Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. But you can just call me Tali."

"Alright, Tali. Do you have something?"

"Yes. But not here."

"Why not? You have two Spectre's protecting you, and no one is around."

"I don't feel safe here. Anyone could be listening."

"Alright. We'll go to the Ambassador's office."

The four of them walked in a tense silence until they arrived.

"Shepard! Congratulations! You will make humanity proud."

"Thank you, Ambassador. May I have use of your office for a minute?"

"Of course."

"Alright. Now, Tali, what is you have?"

"A Geth memory core."

"I thought Geth wiped themselves after destruction."

"Normally, yes, but a skilled mechanic such as myself can sometimes salvage pieces of their core."

"Alright. Let's hear it."

She input something into her omnitool, and a recording started playing.

" _Eden prime was a major victory. The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the conduit."_

" _And one step closer to the return of the Reapers."_

"The first voice is Saren, but what is the Conduit? Who is the second voice?"

"Don't look at me!" Tali seemed to glare at them.

"I can help with that."

The group looked up to see an Asari sitting in the rafters, and some kind of oversized rodent watching them from above.

"Sorry to butt in, but I don't see much interesting happening."

"You are?" Shepard asked skeptically, one hand on her side arm.

"Twilia Asadi." Nihlus sighed, half rolling his eyes. "Council Spectre, in theory. She's really more of a dog and pony show."

"I resent that." She turned her attention back to Shepard. "Now, you want my help or not?"

"What do you have?"

"The second voice is Matriarch Benezia. She's well respected among the Asari."

"So the Matriarch is working for Saren?"

"So it would appear. And it just so happens that she just arrived on Noveria, according to our contacts."

"Anything else you have on her?"

"She has a daughter, an archeologist last seen somewhere in the Artemis Tau cluster."

"How do you know all this?"

"When your presence is so widespread, you become the best infiltrator and spy possible to escape the public's eye." She grinned at them mischievously. "Mite and I are the best there is for that kind of work. We know everything that goes on on the Citadel, and have eyes in every major system."

"You make it sound like you're the Shadow Broker."

She only grinned again. "I'll see you around, Shepard. Let us know if we can be of assistance."

The Asari seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace behind. Shepard shook her head to clear it before turning back to her team.

"Then I guess we have a lead or three."

"Are we all just going to ignore the last part about the Reapers? What are the Reapers?" Kaiden asked, all but forgotten about.

"I've heard of them. They're a myth, really. An ancient machine race." Tali answered.

"If they're a myth, we shouldn't worry about them. Saren in our priority." Still, the cogs in her brain turned uneasily. Could a machine race reanimate a corpse? Could the Reapers be behind Saren?

"We should be careful, Shepard. Advanced machines might explain Eden Prime. Or why the Geth are working for Saren. If he's with the Reapers, there's a good chance that they believe the Reapers will advance them as well." Nihlus added.

"He's right. The Geth would almost revere a fully sentient race of machines." Observed Tali.

"Then we proceed more carefully. We stop Saren, we stop these things, right?"

"That makes a certain amount of sense."

"Good." Shepard turned to leave.

"Let me come with you." Shepard stared at Tali incredulously. "I can fight. I want to help."

Nihlus looked at her. "Alright."

"You can't be serious."

"You saw her in action. And she's clearly going to be valuable against the Geth."

"Fine. Welcome aboard."

The Quarian squealed. "Thank you! You won't even notice I'm there."

Shepard cracked half a smile, but quickly covered it. "Good. Now let's get moving. I have one more thing to take care of here. I'll meet you on the Normandy."

Nihlus nodded, Kaiden gave her a quick salute. The three of them left first, leaving Shepard by herself again.

Shepard turned and exited the office as well. She thumbed the disk in her pocket absentmindedly before heading to the upper wards. Some reporter there would probably pay for it. And reporters might just know who the Geth woman was.

 _ **And there. Another chapter done. We have now met (Or at least seen) all the non canon characters. I hope you have enjoyed Shepard's perspective. There will definitely be more in the future. As always, I feed off reviews! I just beg you to keep it constructive.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


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